Taste, Traditions, and the Honest Pleasures of Food

 

June 10, 2007

Tomato Feastival at Turkey Hill Farm

Thanks for coming to the first ever premier Tomato Feastival covered dish Slow Food farm party. The social event of the season for us. We don't get out much, you know.

We hope if you were here that you enjoyed the farm and got to take a look at the back/west garden and the towering tomato plants. The food was terrific. The company was even better. And the tomato tasting was fun and a great learning experience for us. Next year we will have it a little later so more gardeners will have tomatoes to bring for the tasting.

The cake walk was big fun and we have some great pictures of that. The auction was a big success. Next time we will put cakes in the auction. Man there were some good cakes. And pies. And blueberries and peaches and.... Well, you just shoulda been there.

The very best part was when friends ran into friends they hadn't seen in years and had the time to sit and talk a spell without a grocery cart between them. The children seemed to have a good time and they all seemed to be good children. The chef demos were great. I love it when the chef comes out of the kitchen to share with us. We had a modest turn out of farmers and I hope you got a chance to talk with some of them, Carmen and Jack of Crescent Moon Farm came up from Sopchoppy, Dennis Stoltzfoos brought his family from their Full Circle Farm in Live Oak, Troy Livingston and Piper Goldman brought some of their plants to sell. Wes and Judy Burks were here from Blueberry Hill in Cairo and lord have mercy did you see and taste those beautiful berries. Hand picked by Judy and Wes.

This is the aspect of the gatherings at the farm that I hope will grow and grow. More farmers meeting more eaters face to face. Our small effort to get you in touch with your foodshed as they like to call it now.

The ploy to reduce landfill worked out beautifully. People brought their own plates and utensils and we had plenty of recycles and just one bag of trash for over 100 people. The volunteers were power rangers, can't do something like that without the help of friends. Now if you left something behind just let me know. I will bring a box of left-behinds to the market and you can find your plate/bowl/platter/spoon/knife in it. Or come by the farm; I have always heard that if you leave something it means you want to go back.

Thanks to our panel of distinguished judges from the best resataurants in town - Keith Baxter of Kool Beanz Café, Terry White of Sage, Brian Knepper from Cypress, Tom Zengali of The Tomato Patch (and Tallahassee Floor Finishing), and Joann Chamberlain, the Turkey Hill Tomato Fairy and bonafide tomato fanatic. Silent auction thanks to: Kool Beanz, The Main Ingredient, SAGE, Cypress, Native Nurseries, New Leaf Market, Claire and John Olson, Christine Scheu, Amanda and Matt Ruddell, Jeff Valentine, Dr Beatriz Miyar, Sarah Keith Valentine, Nancy and Doug Williams from Bird Sink. Our organizers were Amanda Ruddell, Sarah Keith Valentine, Claire Olson, and Rebecca Megan. Capable and fun, the best combination.

We raised funds for Slow Food Tallahassee, Damayan Garden Project, and expansion of growing areas at Turkey Hill Farm. Thanks for coming and hope to see you and your friends here next year.

All the best,

Miss Louise and Farmer Herman